Blumenthal and Murphy: Funding is on the Way for Connecticut Schools Impacted by Hurricane Maria

(Hartford, CT)—Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) stating how the Department will award up to $2.7 billion to assist K-12 schools and school districts and institutions of higher education (IHEs) in meeting the educational needs of students affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and the 2017 California wildfires. This disaster assistance will help schools, school districts and IHEs return to their full capabilities as quickly and effectively as possible, and most importantly provide critical supports and services to displaced students and their families.

The funding is part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 signed into law by President Trump on February 9, 2018.

“After Hurricane Maria devastated our neighbors in Puerto Rico, school districts and higher education institutions in Connecticut stepped up to provide sanctuary for displaced students and their families,” said Blumenthal. “With today’s announcement, we are one step closer towards delivering crucial funding to ease the burden and help Connecticut schools rebuild and get back on track to operating at full capacity. I strongly encourage administrators to take advantage and apply for these funding opportunities as they are made available, and I look forward to working with the Department of Education to ensure that Connecticut schools receive fair allocation.”

“The Puerto Rican community in Connecticut is vibrant, and we are so proud to be the new home of thousands of Puerto Ricans who fled the island after Hurricane Maria,” said Murphy. “But frankly, it’s put a lot of stress on our schools. In Hartford, nearly 400 new Puerto Rican students have come since the hurricane. Waterbury has had nearly 300 new students, and New Britain and Bridgeport have each had roughly 200 new students. We see it as our obligation to bring these kids into our schools, and we know they will be part of Connecticut's strength. But it's not easy. I’m glad to see this money I fought for administered, and I’ll be working closely with schools across our state to make sure they can welcome these new students without jeopardizing their budgets.”

The funding opportunities are below. The DOE will be sharing additional information in the near future, including application packages and technical assistance, on its “Disaster Relief” webpage at https://www.ed.gov/disasterrelief.

(1)        Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations (Restart)

Under this program, the Department is authorized to award funds to State educational agencies (SEAs) where a major disaster or emergency has been declared under sections 401 or 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 and 5190) related to the consequences of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma or Maria or the 2017 California wildfires (“a covered disaster or emergency”).  The eligible states and territories are Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  These SEAs, in turn, will provide assistance or services to local educational agencies (LEAs), including public charter schools, and non-public schools to help defray expenses related to the restart of operations in, the reopening of and the re-enrollment of students in elementary and secondary schools that serve an area affected by a covered disaster or emergency.

We know that SEAs, LEAs, public charter schools and non-public schools in the affected areas have incurred, and continue to incur, considerable expenses as they work to reopen schools and are in urgent need of financial assistance.  In determining allocations under this authority, the Department will consider the number of students enrolled, during the 2016–17 school year, in elementary schools and secondary schools that were closed as a result of a covered disaster or emergency, as well as other relevant factors.

(2) Emergency Impact Aid for Displaced Students

Under this program, the Department will award Emergency Impact Aid funding to SEAs, which, in turn, will provide assistance to LEAs to cover the cost of educating students enrolled in public schools, including public charter schools, and non-public schools who were displaced by a covered disaster or emergency.

The Department will make payments to SEAs based on quarterly counts of displaced students enrolled in public schools, including charter schools, and non-public schools.  SEAs will make payments to LEAs for the costs of educating public and non-public students, based on the number of covered students served.  To receive funding, eligible SEAs will need to provide data and other application information that will be requested shortly.

Congress appropriated a combined amount of approximately $2.5 billion for both the Restart and Emergency Impact Aid for Displaced Students programs.  The amounts awarded under each program will be based on demand and specific data received from eligible applicants.

(3) Assistance for Homeless Children and Youths

Congress appropriated $25 million for additional grants to SEAs for LEAs to address the needs of homeless students displaced by the covered disasters or emergencies.  The Department anticipates using data on displaced public school students collected under the Emergency Impact Aid program to make allocations to SEAs under the Assistance for Homeless Children and Youths program.  SEAs will award subgrants to LEAs on the basis of demonstrated need.  LEAs must use the funds awarded under this program to support activities that are allowable under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

(4) Emergency Assistance to Institutions of Higher Education

Congress appropriated $100 million for this program, which will provide emergency assistance to IHEs and their students in areas directly affected by the covered disasters or emergencies.

(5) Defraying Costs of Enrolling Displaced Students in Higher Education

Congress appropriated $75 million for this program, which will provide payments to IHEs to help defray the unexpected expenses associated with enrolling displaced students from IHEs directly affected by a covered disaster or emergency, in accordance with criteria to be established and made publicly available.